


crossing swords

by jaemarked



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Video Game World, Fluff, M/M, MMORPGs, Virtual Reality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:55:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23844091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaemarked/pseuds/jaemarked
Summary: “I’m Donghyuck. Wanna form a party with me?”
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Lee Donghyuck | Haechan
Comments: 5
Kudos: 72





	crossing swords

**Author's Note:**

  * For [yourcryingface](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourcryingface/gifts).



˚₊✩‧₊˚· ₊̣̇.♡˟̑*̑♡*̑˟̑♡.₊̣̇ ·˚ ‧₊✩‧₊˚

Video games are Donghyuck’s escape.

Before, it would sound like a cliche. But now that there’s new full-dive immersive VR technology, video games are on a completely different level. Professional players can even make money out of playing VRMMOs if they’re good enough.

For Donghyuck, he doesn’t play it to make money. He plays because sometimes the stress of being a college student gets to him, and he just wants to slay some monsters to vent. Not to mention the Maps in his favourite game _Fantasy Culture,_ are vividly gorgeous in comparison to his dingy, bustling city.

Donghyuck was currently in Arairya, home of the Fairies. He himself is a Battle Mage, with thin but strong armour and a heavy lance in his hand. He has a dagger strapped to his thigh and a pistol in his belt, but he makes no move for his weapons as he navigates the streets of Dragonsshore, the city that bordered the ocean. He isn't here for a fight, so there’s no need for him to be on guard.

Outside of the city limits is a free-for-all warzone, but inside is a Safe Zone. It means that a player’s HP can’t drop when they’re inside, and that’s why he could see so many people milling about on the streets, shopping at the markets or visiting the blacksmith and weaponry shops. Travelers, civilians, and shopkeepers alike swarm the cobblestones, but he pays no mind to any of them as he dodges a group of Wizards standing in front of the potions shop, sliding in past the door silently.

Renjun is behind the counter, clad in full armour and his dual swords strapped to his back despite the fact that they were in a Safe Zone. Renjun’s always prepared for battle, and it’s the reason why Donghyuck had partnered up with him so long ago, when the Sixth Server had just been launched and he created his account for the first time.

Donghyuck wasn’t a stranger to MMORPGs when he first joined _Fantasy Culture._ His ID, **haechan,** was known by most full-time gamers as the player who never joined a guild. He would flit from party to party in order to complete missions, but he never stayed for long and he always traveled solo. 

That changed shortly after he encountered Renjun in the fields of Madirun, expertly slaying monsters in half the time it would take a normal player. He had stood there in awe as he watched Renjun in combat, and then he realized that Renjun had wings _. Fairy_ wings. Maintaining a double class in _Fantasy Culture_ wasn’t impossible, but the amount of time it took to level up each individual skill meant that most players opted for just one class. Clearly, Renjun had no qualms about it, switching between Fairy Magic and Dual-Wielding with ease. 

After watching Renjun slay thirteen Lvl. 30 monsters in a row without losing a single health point, Donghyuck had approached him and immediately found himself staring into fox-like obsidian eyes with a blade to his throat.

“Oh god, I’m sorry, I thought you were a PK-er.” A PK-er, or Player Killer, was someone who purposely targeted low-level players outside of spawn cities where they were usually found gaining EXP. Unfortunately, _Fantasy Culture_ didn’t have any rules against a Lvl. 80 player challenging a Lvl. 8 player, and PK-ers took full advantage of that in order to gain more Items and Gold. 

“Somehow, I think you would have been able to hold your own,” Donghyuck had replied, eyebrows raised as Renjun slid his swords into their sheaths. 

“I’m only Lvl. 32,” Renjun had said with a sheepish smile, and Donghyuck had been stunned into silence. A Lvl. 32 player able to take out monsters only a couple levels lower than him, and able to do it using double class skills. He’d be a fool to let someone so naturally gifted in battle slip away, and so:

“I’m Donghyuck. Wanna form a party with me?”

Donghyuck thinks about this now as he leans on the counter, watching Renjun brew a potion that gleamed neon green in his cauldron. Renjun had maxed out his Potion-Making skills after only a month of playing, and Donghyuck is nothing but grateful. Having only two members in their party means that they have no supporting players like Wizards or Clerics to heal them in battle, but Renjun’s potions do the job just as well.

“What are you brewing?” Donghyuck asks, playing with a set of Teleportation crystals. Though he’s sure Renjun hadn’t seen him enter, the Fairy-Duelist doesn’t even startle as he drops a Devil’s Batwing into the cauldron. The potion hisses, letting out a thick cloud of steam that doesn’t faze Renjun as he hums to himself. 

“Fortune Potion,” Renjun answers. “I’m hoping to get some rare items in our Raid today, I maxed out my Blacksmith skills last week and I need materials for weapons.”

“Renjun Huang,” Donghyuck says, “jack of all trades. Color me impressed.”

“You’re impressed with everything I do,” Renjun laughs, finally putting down his materials and coming over to where Donghyuck is standing. He cups Donghyuck’s face in his own, the warm leather of his fingerless gloves pressing into his skin as Renjun brings their mouths together. Instantly, warmth blooms in Donghyuck’s chest as he digs his fingers into Renjun’s shoulders, pulling at him to get him closer. Renjun laughs against his lips, pulling away to climb on top of the counter. Donghyuck fits himself between Renjun’s spread legs, leaning up on his toes to kiss Renjun again and again.

This is what he really plays for.

Sure, killing monsters and leveling up is fun. Raiding dungeons and claiming First Kills gives him a thrill like nothing else. He has fun collecting weapons and rare items, completing missions, and exploring the different Maps in the game.

But he really comes here for Renjun.

Renjun, the shadow to his light, the shield to his sword, and everything in between. He never imagined that when he first started playing MMORPGs back in middle school that he would meet the love of his life on the Sixth Server of some indie fantasy game, but here he is, in Renjun’s arms, about to go on another Raid.

It’s fitting that he and Renjun are at the top of the Leaderboard, because Renjun makes him feel like he can take on the world.

“We should get going soon,” Renjun says in between kisses. “Gotta beat the boss before dinner.”

Donghyuck sighs, reaching up for one last kiss before he steps away. Renjun looks so pretty with his mouth pink and kiss-swollen that he almost forgets what he came here for. Renjun who lives 3000 miles away from him needs to eat dinner soon, and Donghyuck will have to leave for class in two hours.

One day, they won’t need a video game to bring them together. 

“Let’s go secure that First Kill, yeah?”

The first party to take out the boss in a dungeon received the title of “First Kill”. Renjun and Donghyuck currently have three. Leaderboards change all the time, but First Kills are permanent, and it’s the way they leave their mark on this world.

Renjun hops off the counter and immediately equips his strongest armour and weapons. There’s a different kind of fire burning in his eyes, one that Donghyuck has been drawn to ever since they met. 

_God,_ Donghyuck is so in love with him.

Renjun steps forward, leaning in close until his lips brush against the shell of Donghyuck’s ear. “I bet you I can get more kills this time.”

Donghyuck’s eyes narrow. “Oh, you’re _on._ ”

**Player ID hwanginjun has invited you to join their party.**

**Accept ✓**

**Decline ✕**

**You have accepted player ID hwanginjun’s invitation.**

**Author's Note:**

> [twitter](https://twitter.com/jaemarkism)  
>  [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/jaemarked)


End file.
